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The US government gave its green light to sell F-16 fighters to Turkey for $23 billion, putting an end to months of negotiations, in a decision that comes after Ankara ratified Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The US State Department said that the sale includes Turkey obtaining 40 new F-16 aircraft and Greece obtaining 40 F-35 aircraft for $8 billion.
The State Department officially notified Congress of this dual deal, as required by US law.
To implement this step, the United States was waiting to receive Turkey’s ratification documents for Sweden’s membership in NATO, according to an American official who requested anonymity, which reflects the very sensitive nature of the negotiations that were ongoing.
US law requires Congress to be notified of any sale of US weapons to a foreign government.
On Tuesday, the Turkish Parliament approved Sweden’s accession, ending twenty months of negotiations between Stockholm and Ankara in this regard, which served as a test for Ankara’s relations with its Western allies who wish to form a united front against Moscow in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Source: Agence France-Presse
2024-01-29 21:27:48